Bengaluru, May 22: Alistair Gray secured his spot in the semifinals of the SM Krishna Memorial Tennis Tournament by defeating Mukund Shashikumar in a thrilling match held at the center court of SM Krishna Stadium. The contest lasted an intense 2 hours and 40 minutes.
Mukund Shashikumar was India’s last hope in the tournament, but he fell short against Gray, losing with a score of 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (3).
Gray took control of the first set by breaking Shashikumar’s serve twice. However, the second set turned into a fierce battle as Shashikumar, hailing from Chennai, showcased his powerful serves and precise forehand shots. He displayed remarkable patience and discipline, breaking Gray’s serve twice and taking a 5-2 lead after saving his own serve in the seventh game.
Relying on his impressive single-handed backhand return, the 287th-ranked Gray fought back, breaking Shashikumar’s serve in the eighth and tenth games to level the score at 5-5. Shashikumar then adopted an aggressive strategy, winning the second set and pushing the match into a decisive third set.
Both players struggled with the heat and humidity, capitalizing on each other’s weak second serves to secure easy points. However, long rallies often ended with unforced errors from one of the players.
During the third set, Gray received treatment for his back from his physiotherapist twice, which proved beneficial. This allowed him to rest and regain energy. He returned to the court with renewed strength and ultimately triumphed in the match via a tiebreaker.
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